Tips and tools to help people with lactose intolerance manage their diet

Living with food intolerance means having to learn about the foods and ingredients likely to cause symptoms of varying degrees of disability. It also means developing tips for managing your diet on a daily basis. Lactolérance reveals just some of the essential tools you need to live better with your intolerance without disrupting your family, social and professional life.

Tip no. 1: learn to read processed food labels to spot hidden lactose

Lactose is where you'd expect it, in dairy products, but it's also there where you wouldn't expect it, such as in cooked meats and medicines. With this in mind, it's vital for people with lactose intolerance to know how to decipher the labels on industrial products.

On the one hand, lactose is indicated under the name 'milk' in the list of allergens. The law now requires manufacturers to indicate in bold print the allergens present in their food. For their part, restaurants and food retailers must draw up a written list of the 14 allergenic substances potentially present in their dishes and other foodstuffs.

On the other hand, lactose is indicated in various forms in the list of ingredients: milk, whey, milk powder, butter, whey, lactulose, cream, lactalbumin and lactoglobulin. Milk powder is undoubtedly the worst enemy of people with lactose intolerance, with around 50% of lactose in its composition, but you should also be wary of a large number of sweet and savoury processed foods.

Tip no. 2: find alternatives to milk products to enjoy yourself despite your intolerance

L'lactose intolerance is restrictive by definition, in that it means having to monitor one's diet more or less strictly. Fortunately for people who are lactose intolerant, the modern food industry is becoming more inclusive by taking greater account of the diversity of diets - lactose-free, gluten-free, vegetarian, vegan, halal, kosher, etc.

As a result, more and more foods labelled lactose-free are appearing alongside traditional dairy products on supermarket shelves. In particular, products made from soya, oats, coconut or almonds are brilliantly replacing cow's milk, crème fraîche, yoghurts and so on.

Finally, opt for homemade products to manage your diet in a way that's both healthy and delicious. Use a yoghurt maker, for example, to make plain or flavoured yoghurts that are perfectly digestible by the body, even for people who are lactose intolerant.

Tip no. 3: opt for lactase supplementation to help manage lactose intolerance outside the home

To date, there is no cure for lactose intolerance. In capsule form, oral supplementation with lactase nevertheless compensates for the lack of lactase in the body and reduces or even eliminates the undesirable effects of intolerance.

When you're eating out, in particular, in restaurants or with friends, you can choose lactase supplementation to make the most of your meals without worrying about the presence of lactose on your plate. Simply take one capsule just before eating any food containing lactose, and you'll be able to enjoy all your festive, social and convivial occasions with peace of mind. Lactolerance 4500, 9000 and 1Day make everyday life easier for people with moderate to severe lactose intolerance.